Clamp bracket for concrete forms



A ril 14, 1964 J. D. KAY

CLAMP BRACKET FOR CONCRETE FORMS Filed June 3, 1963 24 IN\ E ITOR.

JOHN D. KAY

BY n

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,128,525 LAMP BRACKET FGR CGNtIRETE FORMS John 1). Kay, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor t0 Burke Concrete Accessories, Inc., a corporation of California Filed June 3, 1963, Ser. No. 285,026 4 Claims. (Cl. 25--131) The present invention relates to form clamps used in the construction of concrete walls, and more particularly to a novel clamp bracket.

The present invention is designed to overcome certain disadvantages with respect to the present use of form clamps by providing a novel clamp bracket which is simple in construction, easily applied in clamping relation with respect to the elements of a concrete form, and capable of being readily adjusted to brace such walls against outward displacement.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel clamp bracket capable of providing supporting means for a horizontal timber employed as a brace for a form wall and also wedge means for both adjusting the relative positions of the opposed form walls and thereafter securely maintaining the elements of the form assembly against displacement with respect to each other during and after the pouring of concrete material between the form walls.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel clamp bracket of the kind characterized, one which simplfies the erection and removal of concrete forms and which is durable and adapted for repetitious use.

Other and further objects of my invention will be pointed out hereinafter or will be obvious to one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the present disclosure. For the purpose of this application, I have elected to show herein certain forms and details of a clamp bracket which is representative of my invention; it is to be understood, however, that the embodiment of my invention herein shown and described is for purposes of illustration only and that therefore it is not to be regarded as exhaustive of the variations of the invention in the art.

In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a conventional concrete form showing my improved clamp bracket applied thereto;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the clamp bracket, on a relatively enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the clamp bracket;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the clamp bracket;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 of FIG. 3.

Shown on the drawing is a conventional concrete form comprising opposed form walls 10, 10 supported by an underlying concrete base 11 and held in spaced relation with respect to each other by a number of suitably spaced tie-rods 12 (only one (1) being shown), which support suitable means such as cone-shaped spacing members 13 in firmly abutting relationship with the interior faces of such form walls. The end portions of the tie-rods 12 extend outwardly from the form walls, thereby providing means for supporting timbers or wales 14 which are disposed in bracing relationship with respect to the form walls, and which when secured by means wedged between their outer sides and terminal heads 12a on the ends of the tie-rods prevent the outward spreading of the form walls. Various types of clamps or wedges have been heretofore used to hold the timbers in pressure-engaging relationship with the form walls, and the present invention is primarily directed to an improved device of this character which is simple in construction and economical in use.

My improved clamp bracket comprises a sheet metal Patented Apr-.14, 1964 plate having an outer planar portion 15 which is preferably formed with a centrally disposed vertical groove as at 15a. Extending inwardly from the lateral edges of the planar portion 15 are opposed side portions 16 which are preferably arranged in substantially parallel relation to each other; The upper edges 17 of the side portions 16 are positioned in a common plane to provide a substantially horizontal seat for supporting the timber 14 in a transverse position, such seat being substantially perpendicular to the outer 'planar portion 15. The upper edges 17 of the side portions 16 are positioned well below the upper end of the outer planar portion 15, thereby making it possible for the outer edge or sideof the timber to engage firmly with the upper portion of 15. A nail 18 extending through a suitable hole in the upper portion of 15 is preferably driven into the timber to hold the same in a firmly seated position on the side portions 16.

Suitably secured to the outer planar portion 15 is a saddle-like element 19, which in vertical cross-section has an inverted V- or U-shape. The forward end of the element 19 is suitably secured to the planar portion 15 as by an upper flange 20 and a pair of lower flanges 21, which extend outwardly and upwardly in embracing relationship with respect to the planar portion 15. Thelower flanges 21 are formed with openings within which depending flanges 151) on the lower end of the outer planar portion 15 fit to prevent the displacement of the attached members. The vertex portion 22 of the element 19 lies in a substantially horizontal plane extending slightly below the horizontal plane of the upper edges 17 of the side portions 16, or such vertex may be in substantially horizontal alignment with the said upper edges. The saddlelike element 19 is formed at its inner endwith an inner planar portion comprising two (2) similarly shaped inner planar portions 23 lying in a common substantially vertical plane, such portions 23 being separated from each other by an inverted V-shaped opening 24.

The outer planar portion 15 isprovided with an aperture 25 of sufiicient size to permit the passing therethrough of the head IZa-of the tie-rod '12, such aperture being positioned in substantially horizontal alignment with the vertex portion 22 of the saddle-like element 19. The inclined sides of the inverted -V-shaped opening 24 facilitate the mounting of the clamp bracket on the tie-rod 1-2 by providing guide means for seating the said rod against the vertex portion 22 of the saddle-like element 19.

Adjustably supported by and slidably held between the pair'of flanges 21 of the saddle-like element 19 and an opposed upper pair of guide flanges 26 extending outwardly and downwardly from the outer planar portion 15 is an elongated wedge member 27 having an inner planar side or surface engaging with the outer face of the said outer planar portion. The ends of the Wedge member 27 are preferably bent outwardly as at 28 to'provide means for normally preventing its detachment from the guide flanges. The outer face of the wedge member is olfset outwardly to provide a wedge-like cam surface 29 extending longitudinally from an aperture 30 in an end portion thereof to a point adjacent the opposite end-of such Wedgernember; The aperture 30 is of sufiicient size to permit the passing therethrough of the head 12a of the tie-rod 12, and. such-aperture-is adapted to register horizontally with the aperture 25 in the outer planar portion 15 when the'wedge member 27 is in a suitably adjusted position. The camsurface 29 carried by the wedge memher is arranged'to overlie the aperture 25 in the outer planarportion 15 continuously-as the wedge member is slidably adjusted back and forth. The wedge member 27 is provided with an elongated slot 31 of substantially uniform width throughout its length which intersects the cam surface 29 longitudinally and extends from a point connecting with the aperture 30 to terminate at a closed end at or adjacent a point where the cam surface reaches its highest point of displacement with respect to the inner face of the wedge member. The slot 31 is narrower in width than the head 12a of the tie-rod 12 but slightly wider than the diameter of the latter, thereby making it possible for the adjustment of the wedge member 27 with respect to the tie-rod while the head remains in engagement with the cam surface 29.

The bracket is adapted to be mounted on an outwardly projecting extension on the tie-rod 12 extending beyond a form wall by passing the head 12a through the registering apertures 25 and 30 in the outer planar portion 15 and the wedge member 27, respectively. After the bracket is arranged with the saddle-like element 19 seated on the tie-rod 12, a timber 14- is placed in a transverse position seated on the upper edges 17 of the side portions 16. The bracket being adapted to rock or pivot about the tie-rod makes feasible the adjusting of the timber 14 from an inclined to a horizontal position without its becoming unseated. The outward increasing displacement of the cam surface 29 from the aperture Fat) to a point at the closed end of the slot 31, away from the inner plane surface of the wedge member 27, is such that when the Wedge member is forcibly adjusted in a direction in which the terminal head 12a of the tie-rod extension travels along the cam surface toward the closed end of the slot, a suitable wedging action will be applied to the outer side of the timber 14 to develop the desired wedged inter-relationship between the timber, the bracket, the tie-rod and the form walls of the assembly.

In normal practice, the timber 14 will be preferably supported in a substantially horizontal position on at least two (2) of the clamp brackets, and when so positioned, the inner side of such timber will be in abutting relationship with a form wall 10, as shown in FIG. 1. With the head 12a of the tie-rod 12 engaging with that end of the cam surface 2? where the latters maximum outward displacement occurs, the wedge member 27 is wedged between the outer planar portion 15 and the tie-rod head to impose a suitable clamping effect upon the associated elements of the form wall assembly. The adjustment of the wedge member 27 to effect this wedging action may be accomplished by applying impacts from a hammer against that end 28 of such wedge member which is nearest the closed end of the slot 31. The bracket clamp when once secured in clamping relationship with respect to the form assembly is not apt to become loose, since the terminal head 12a of the tie-rod frictionally engaging with the cam surface 29 will hold the wedge member 27 against displacement. Removal of a form bracket, preparatory to dismantling of the form walls, is accomplished by suitably adjusting the wedge member in a reverse direction to position its aperture 30 again in registry with aperture in the outer planar portion 15, thereby allowing the terminal head 12a to pass freely through such apertures as the bracket is manually detached from the tie-rod extension.

This is a continuation in part of my co-pending patent application entitled Clamp Bracket for Concrete Forms, Serial Number 240,273, filed November 27, 1962.

What I claim is:

1. In a clamp bracket cooperatively associated with the terminal head of a tie-rod extension and a timber arranged transversely thereof, an outer planar portion lying in a substantially vertical plane adapted to engage with the outer side of the timber and having an aperture permitting the terminal head to pass therethrough, the outer planar portion having depending extensions thereon, inwardly extending opposed side portions secured to the outer planar portion and having their upper edges arranged in a substantially horizontal plane and forming a seat for supporting the timber, an element of substantially inverted V-shape in cross-section having an outer end secured to the outer planar portion, said element having a vertex portion overlying and seating on the tie-rod extension and such vertex portion being in substantially horizontal alignment with the aperture in the outer planar portion, an inner planar portion on the inner end of the element, such inner planar portion lying in a plane substantially parallel to the outer planar portion and also having an opening in horizontal alignment with the aperture of the outer planar portion, such opening being of sufiicient size to allow the terminal head of the tie-rod extension to pass freely therethrough, upper and lower opposed guide members extending outwardly beyond the outer planar portion, the lower guide members having openings for receiving the depending extensions of the outer planar portion, an elongated wedge member adjustably supported between the guide members and having an inner planar side slidably engaging with the outer planar portion, the wedge member having an aperture adjacent an end thereof of suficient size to allow the terminal head of the tie-rod extension to pass freely therethrough, such aparture being positioned for registry with the aperture of the outer planar portion when such wedge member is in a certain adjusted position, a cam surface on the wedge member cooperatively engaging with the terminal head of the tie-rod extension and extending longitudinally from the aperture in the wedge member and disposed in an inclined plane extending outwardly with respect to the inner planar side of the Wedge member, and a longitudinal slot in the wedge member connecting with the aperture in such wedge member and traversing the cam surface longitudinally and adapted to accommodate and slidably receive the tie-rod extension, the slot having a width narrower than the diameter of the terminal head.

2. In a clamp bracket cooperatively associated with the terminal head of a tie-rod extension and a timber arranged transversely thereof, an outer planar portion lying in a substantially vertical plane and having an inner face adapted to engage the outer side of the timber and having an aperture allowing the terminal head of the tie-rod to pass freely therethrough, the outer planar portion having one or more depending extensions thereon, inwardly extending opposed side portions secured to the outer planar portion and having upper edges arranged in a substantially horizontal plane and forming a seat for supporting the timber, a saddle-like element having upwardly converging sides and also having an outer end secured to the outer planar portion and also having a vertex portion overlying and seating on the tie-rod extension and such vertex portion being in substantially horizontal alignment with the aperture in the outer planar portion, an inner planar portion on the inner end of the saddle-like element, such inner planar portion lying in a plane substantially parallel to the outer planar portion and also having an opening in substantially horizontal alignment with the aperture of the outer planar portion, such opening being of sufficient size to allow the terminal head of the tie-rod extension to pass freely therethrough, outwardly and downwardly disposed upper guide members carried on the outer planar portion, a pair of outwardly and upwardly disposed lower guide members carried on the outer end of the saddlelike member and having apertures therein, the depending extensions of the outer planar portion being lodged in the apertures, an elongated adjustable wedge member having an inner face slidably engaging with the outer planar portion, the wedge member mounted slidably between the guide members and having an aperture adjacent one end thereof of sufficient size to allow the terminal head of the tie-rod extension to pass freely therethrough, the aperture of the outer planar portion and the Wedge member being arranged for horizontal alignment when the wedge member is in a certain adjusted position, a longitudinal cam surface on the wedge member cooperatively engaging with the terminal head of the tie-rod extension and extending longitudinally from the aperture in the wedge member and disposed in an inclined plane extending outwardly with respect to the inner face of the wedge member, and a longitudinal slot in the wedge member traversing the cam surface longitudinally and adapted to accommodate and slidably receive the tie-rod extension, the slot having a width narrower than the diameter of the terminal head.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2, wherein opposed guide members projecting outwardly beyond the 6 r outer planar portion are arranged in supporting relationship with respect to the wedge member.

4. The combination set forth in claim 2, wherein the inner planar portion of the saddle-like element comprises laterally spaced co-planar portions separated by an open ing adapted to receive the tie-rod extension.

No references cited. 

1. IN A CLAMP BRACKET COOPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE TERMINAL HEAD OF A TIE-ROD EXTENSION AND A TIMBER ARRANGED TRANSVERSELY THEREOF, AN OUTER PLANAR PORTION LYING IN A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL PLANE ADAPTED TO ENGAGE WITH THE OUTER SIDE OF THE TIMBER AND HAVING AN APERTURE PERMITTING THE TERMINAL HEAD TO PASS THERETHROUGH, THE OUTER PLANAR PORTION HAVING DEPENDING EXTENSIONS THEREON, INWARDLY EXTENDING OPPOSED SIDE PORTIONS SECURED TO THE OUTER PLANAR PORTION AND HAVING THEIR UPPER EDGES ARRANGED IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL PLANE AND FORMING A SEAT FOR SUPPORTING THE TIMBER, AN ELEMENT OF SUBSTANTIALLY INVERTED V-SHAPE IN CROSS-SECTION HAVING AN OUTER END SECURED TO THE OUTER PLANAR PORTION, SAID ELEMENT HAVING A VERTEX PORTION OVERLYING AND SEATING ON THE TIE-ROD EXTENSION AND SUCH VERTEX PORTION BEING IN SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE APERTURE IN THE OUTER PLANAR PORTION, AN INNER PLANAR PORTION ON THE INNER END OF THE ELEMENT, SUCH INNER PLANAR PORTION LYING IN A PLANE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE OUTER PLANAR PORTION AND ALSO HAVING AN OPENING IN HORIZONTAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE APERTURE OF THE OUTER PLANAR PORTION, SUCH OPENING BEING OF SUFFICIENT SIZE TO ALLOW THE TERMINAL HEAD OF THE TIE-ROD EXTENSION TO PASS FREELY THERETHROUGH, UPPER AND LOWER OPPOSED GUIDE MEMBERS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY BEYOND THE OUTER PLANAR PORTION, THE LOWER GUIDE MEMBERS HAVING OPENINGS FOR RECEIVING THE DEPENDING EXTENSIONS OF THE OUTER PLANAR PORTION, AN ELONGATED WEDGE MEMBER ADJUSTABLY SUPPORTED BETWEEN THE GUIDE MEMBERS AND HAVING AN INNER PLANAR SIDE SLIDABLY ENGAGING WITH THE OUTER PLANAR PORTION, THE WEDGE MEMBER HAVING AN APERTURE ADJACENT AN END THEREOF OF SUFFICIENT SIZE TO ALLOW THE TERMINAL HEAD OF THE TIE-ROD EXTENSION TO PASS FREELY THERETHROUGH, SUCH APARTURE BEING POSITIONED FOR REGISTRY WITH THE APERTURE OF THE OUTER PLANAR PORTION WHEN SUCH WEDGE MEMBER IS IN A CERTAIN ADJUSTED POSITION, A CAM SURFACE ON THE WEDGE MEMBER COOPERATIVELY ENGAGING WITH THE TERMINAL HEAD OF THE TIE-ROD EXTENSION AND EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY FROM THE APERTURE IN THE WEDGE MEMBER AND DISPOSED IN AN INCLINED PLANE EXTENDING OUTWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO THE INNER PLANAR SIDE OF THE WEDGE MEMBER, AND A LONGITUDINAL SLOT IN THE WEDGE MEMBER CONNECTING WITH THE APERTURE IN SUCH WEDGE MEMBER AND TRAVERSING THE CAM SURFACE LONGITUDINALLY AND ADAPTED TO ACCOMMODATE AND SLIDABLY RECEIVE THE TIE-ROD EXTENSION, THE SLOT HAVING A WIDTH NARROWER THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE TERMINAL HEAD. 